percentage

noun

per·​cent·​age pər-ˈsen-tij How to pronounce percentage (audio)
1
a
: a part of a whole expressed in hundredths
a high percentage of students attended
b
: the result obtained by multiplying a number by a percent
the percentage equals the rate times the base
2
a
: a share of winnings or profits
b
: advantage, profit
no percentage in going around looking like an old sack of laundryWallace Stegner
3
: an indeterminate part : proportion
4
b
: favorable odds

Examples of percentage in a Sentence

If a goalie saves 96 out of 100 shots, his save percentage is 96 percent. The percentages of women completing high school and college were 95 percent and 52 percent, respectively. What percentage of your income do you spend on rent?
Recent Examples on the Web Will these percentages hold up for the rest of the season? Mikai Bruce, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2024 Newsom is not expected to announce any changes to the rebate percentage, or to the expenses that are eligible for the credit. Gene Maddaus, Variety, 27 Oct. 2024 And also the percentage of voters, while it's still widely embraced, the percentage of voters voting by mail has decreased since 2020 during that peak Covid environment. CBS News, 27 Oct. 2024 The economy and inflation were the most common top issue among both genders, but for a higher percentage of men. Rebecca Morin, USA TODAY, 26 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for percentage 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'percentage.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1757, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of percentage was in 1757

Dictionary Entries Near percentage

Cite this Entry

“Percentage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/percentage. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

percentage

noun
per·​cent·​age pər-ˈsent-ij How to pronounce percentage (audio)
1
a
: a part of a whole expressed in hundredths
a high percentage of students attended
b
: the result obtained by multiplying a number by a percent
the percentage equals the rate times the base
2
a
: probability sense 3a
play the percentages
b
: favorable odds

More from Merriam-Webster on percentage

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!